The person who came was Jiang Dazhen's stepdaughter, Meng Xiangwen, the little granddaughter of the Meng family.
She was wearing the most fashionable clothes nowadays. In the county town, anyone with a little bit of means would have such clothes. This was equivalent to the modern people's pursuit of famous brands. In this era, it was a very face-saving thing for a man to wear a Zhongshan suit or a woman to wear a Lenin suit.
Meng Xiangwen was wearing the most popular outfit at the time, an imitation of a green military uniform. Green cloth was in short supply at the county supply and marketing cooperative, and one might not be able to buy it even with cloth coupons.
Jiang Dahai looked at it with some envy, then turned to look at his precious son, thinking to himself that the family had saved up a lot of cloth this year, and when the time comes he can go to the county town to buy a piece of cloth and make a set of clothes like this for his son, how cool it would be.
"Country bumpkin." Meng Xiangwen muttered softly. Actually, it wasn't really a whisper, at least everyone in the living room heard it.
Jiang Dazhen's face immediately turned ugly. She could tolerate her stepdaughter's usual mischief, but she was humiliating her family in front of her like this. If it was only her, she would be able to bear it, but what had her elder brother and her little nephew done wrong to be looked down upon? The Wen family said they would take good care of Wenqin's daughter, but did they end up taking care of such an uneducated person!
Jiang Dahai pushed his sister down. Although he was dissatisfied with the little girl who had just appeared, he also understood her identity. Although Jiang Dazhen was also her mother, it was difficult to deal with her because of the word "hou". If she scolded the little girl opposite for the two of them, it would probably cause a lot of trouble.
Jiang Dahai thought that it was a rare occasion for him to come to the county town, so he should not cause trouble for his sister.
Jiang Yilu took a deep look at the unruly little girl opposite him. She was just an ignorant little girl who was being used by others. He was already in his forties and didn't intend to bother with that little girl.
He lowered his eyes and thought of Meng Xiangwen's ending in his previous life. He was a pitiful man anyway. However, he loved his aunt the most and had no sympathy for this woman who was always keen on making trouble for his aunt and stirring up trouble between his cousin and uncle.
Seeing that the three people opposite him were angry but dared not show it, Meng Xiangwen snorted complacently, straightened his brand new clothes, walked into the living room with a swagger, sat down on the sofa without even saying hello.
Just when the atmosphere was becoming awkward, Old Lady Qu brought out a few glasses of water, breaking the heavy atmosphere.
As soon as Old Lady Qu entered the kitchen, she first opened the things brought by the Jiang family and took a good look at them. She didn't expect the Jiang family to be so generous. All the things they sent were high-quality mountain products. The mountain mushrooms were dried in the sun. When they were opened, the fragrance of mushrooms filled the air. The black fungus was large and complete. Such good goods could not be found in the supply and marketing cooperatives in the county. Moreover, the Jiang family gave quite a lot, enough for them to eat for a long time.
Old Mrs. Qu hid these things carefully, took out a can of malted milk from the cupboard, made a cup of malted milk for Jiang Yilu, and generously put two spoonfuls of it, made a cup of green tea for Jiang Dahai, and took out a lot of sesame cakes and peach cakes, stacked them into a thick bowl, and then took it out with satisfaction.
"Wenwen is back." Although Grandma Qu was a little dissatisfied with her granddaughter who only wanted to go to her grandmother's house, she hadn't seen her granddaughter for such a long time and still missed her. She said with surprise.
Meng Xiangwen was lying on the sofa, and he casually called out "Grandma" weakly. When he saw the cup of malted milk in Qu Ying's hand, his eyes suddenly lit up. He reached out and took the cup of malted milk and drank it all in one gulp.
After drinking, she put the cup on the coffee table and looked at the bowl of pastries. She was immediately dissatisfied again. She glanced at Jiang Dahai and Jiang Yilu sinisterly and muttered to herself. However, with Qu Ying present, she behaved much better and did not dare to say what was in her heart as she did just now.
However, even if she didn't say it, Jiang Yilu could guess what she was thinking. She simply regarded them as poor relatives who came to beg for money. Or maybe he should add that they were bad people who helped her stepmother to rob the Meng family's things.
Qu Ying saw that the cup of malted milk that she had poured for her daughter-in-law's nephew was drunk up by her granddaughter in one gulp. She glared at her and had to go back and pour another cup.
"Brother, Xiaobao, have some cakes. You know what, these peach cakes are expensive, but they taste really good. It's late after you pick up the people and go back. Eat more cakes to fill your stomach. I will pack some more for you to eat on the way when you are hungry."
Jiang Dazhen greeted them with a smile. Jiang Dahai had just said that they couldn't stay here to finish the meal. He was afraid that if they went there late, the people in the Revolutionary Committee would be unhappy. Jiang Dazhen had no choice but to let her brother and nephew eat more now.
Nowadays, peach cakes are considered high-end pastries and are the best gifts for festivals and visiting relatives and friends.
The supply and marketing cooperative sells peach cakes in gift boxes. They are called gift boxes, but they are actually paper boxes, but the packaging method is very particular. There are three layers inside and outside. The innermost layer is dried lotus leaves, the second layer is thick straw paper, and the outermost layer is yellow paper or white paper, which is then tied tightly with fine hemp rope. Finally, red paper is pasted on the outermost layer of the gift box, and the name of the food factory is written on it, which is equivalent to the modern trademark.
A gift box of peach cakes weighs about one kilogram. It takes a lot of food coupons and cash to buy such a kilogram of peach cakes. The Jiang family has been well off in recent years, but they still can only afford to buy such a box from the supply and marketing cooperative during festivals.
Normally, the box of peach cakes would be left for Jiang Yilu, but he would privately share most of them with his four sisters, leaving even less for him to eat.
The main ingredients of peach pastry are eggs and flour, but flour was precious at that time, and some grains were mixed in it. Compared with peach pastry in later generations that was added with various creams and balsams, Jiang Yilu obviously preferred the former.
Fragrant, crispy and crunchy, combined with the layer of fragrant sesame on the peach pastry surface, the taste is indescribable when you put it in your mouth.
Jiang Dahai picked up the sesame cake to eat, which was much cheaper than the peach cake. He didn't refuse. If he didn't eat something now, he would suffer when he had to travel.
Jiang Yilu picked up a piece of peach cake without hesitation and started eating it happily.
"Hmph, a starving ghost reincarnated." Now that Qu Ying was gone, Meng Xiangwen could no longer hold back his sarcasm. Looking at the two guys in front of him eating their cakes, he spoke sarcastically.
Jiang Yilu had suffered all kinds of hardships and heard all kinds of dirty words in his previous life. Meng Xiangwen's level was still a little lower, so he concentrated on eating the peach cake in his hand and treated her words as a gust of wind that he would forget after hearing them.
He could, but Jiang Dahai couldn't. He didn't know whether he should finish the pastry in his hand or put it down. He looked sullen and no longer had a good impression of the girl in front of him.
They didn't provoke her, so why does she have such an expression at such a young age? I wonder how much anger Dazhen has endured in her daily life.
When Jiang Dahai thought of his sister, his anger extinguished again. What was wrong with being criticized by a little girl? His sister still had to live in the Meng family. A daughter-in-law was never as close as a granddaughter. It would be bad if Old Lady Qu had a bad impression of his sister. Thinking of this, he could only eat the sesame cake in his hand in a depressed mood, pretending that he didn't hear anything.
Seeing that the two of them were silent and only cared about eating cakes, Meng Xiangwen felt even more disdainful. As her aunt said, Jiang Dazhen was kind-hearted but had a bitter heart. She was nice to her on the surface, but secretly cared about her poor relatives from her mother's family. If the position of accountant fell into her hands, she might never get it back.
Meng Xiangxue was not afraid. As a boy, he could inherit his grandfather's or father's position in the future. But she was different. How could a little girl like her do rough work? The position of worker was not suitable for her at all. Accountant was much better. She just had to sit in the office, with not much work to do and still be respected.
This should have originally belonged to her, but was taken away by this woman who interfered. She has so many nieces, and it is not certain who will get this position in the future.
Meng Xiangwen became angrier and angrier as he thought about it. Just as he was about to say something else, he caught a glimpse of his grandmother carrying malted milk, and he immediately stopped talking.
"What are you talking about? I seemed to hear Wenwen's voice in the kitchen." Old Mrs. Qu happily brought the malted milk to Jiang Yilu, touched his little head kindly, and said with a smile.
"Nothing. I was just talking about how my eldest brother and his friends would be on their way back soon. I said I would bring them some cakes so they can eat on the way." Jiang Dazhen replied.
When building houses nowadays, there is no such thing as sound insulation. The kitchen is not far from the living room, and the talking here can be heard clearly in the kitchen. She doesn't believe that the old lady didn't hear what was said just now.
But Jiang Dazhen is a smart person and understands Old Lady Qu's thoughts. The Meng family's scandals can only be talked about when the family is alone. Now she is accusing Meng Xiangwen in front of her eldest brother and nephew. Even if the fault is all hers, the old lady will definitely be unhappy.
And now, she, who had been wronged, spoke up for Meng Xiangwen. Even if the old lady didn't say it on the surface, she would always compensate him secretly. Aren't those pastries the best things?
After being married to the Meng family for so many years, Jiang Dazhen has already understood these people in the family thoroughly. Since she has already suffered injustice, it is most practical to give them some compensation. She is not as stupid as the Wen family, who have such a good in-law but still push them further away.
When Old Mrs. Qu heard what her daughter-in-law said, she was indeed very satisfied. She didn't feel bad about the cakes and very politely took out a box of exquisitely packaged, unopened peach cakes from the low cabinet in the living room.
"As for me, I loved it the moment I saw Yilu, and you brought so many good things here. These and the pastries are just a little token of my appreciation as a grandmother." As she said that, she stuffed the peach cake into Jiang Yilu's arms.
Jiang Dahai declined quickly. They came to deliver things, so why did they end up taking some things back?
"Dahai, don't be polite with me. If you refuse again, I will be angry." Old Mrs. Qu frowned, and Jiang Dahai dared not speak anymore.
Qu Ying nodded with satisfaction, glanced at her troublesome granddaughter out of the corner of her eye, and sighed in her heart.
It's impossible for the Wen family to bring up this granddaughter like that. It seems that I have to discuss it with the two men in the family tonight to see if I can reduce the contact between my granddaughter and the Wen family.
Meng Xiangwen's face turned red with anger when she saw the Jiang family eating and taking things. How could she know that Old Lady Qu was just covering for her? If what she had just said got out, she would probably be criticized for the rest of her life. She was so young and had no manners at all. Which family would have the courage to marry such a daughter-in-law in the future?
Unfortunately, Mrs. Qu’s efforts were destined to be in vain.
"Give me this month's food coupons and cloth coupons." Meng Xiangwen felt that she could not stay in this house for a moment longer, so she stretched out her hand and told the real purpose of her return.
These days, every urban resident’s monthly food ration and various subsidies are collected through their household registration books. The Meng family’s household registration books are all linked together, and Old Lady Qu goes to collect them once a month.
Because Meng Xiangwen stayed at the Wen family half of the year, Old Lady Qu gave her monthly food rations directly to the Wen family. The Meng family was not short of food, so Old Lady Qu did not argue with the Wen family about it.
This month's food was delivered at the beginning of the month, and there is still some time before the end of the month. Why is my granddaughter asking for food again?
Since Jiang Dahai and Jiang Yi were still present, Old Lady Qu could only suppress her anger and asked in a friendly manner, "Wasn't the food just delivered at the beginning of the month? What's the matter? Is there not enough food?"
In fact, it was not that there was not enough food, but that Meng Xiangwen stayed in the Wen family for too long this month.
In the past, the Meng family gave Meng Xiangwen of the Wen family a month's worth of food, and Meng Xiangwen only lived in the Wen family for half a month. In this way, the remaining food naturally went into the stomachs of the Wen family. But this time, because of the accounting position, the two families fell out, and Meng Xiangwen simply lived in the Wen family and never mentioned going back. The other people in the Wen family didn't mind, but Uncle Wen's wife, Lu Xingfang, did.
It was already a headache to squeeze a living person into the crowded house. Now even these benefits were gone, so she naturally couldn't bear it anymore. She beat around the bush and told Meng Xiangwen about the difficulties at home. Meng Xiangwen always regarded the Wen family as his biggest support. When he heard this, he was so angry that he immediately ran to the Meng family to ask for food.
Moreover, she wanted to use the coupons to make another set of clothes. The Wen family had many people and lived a tight life. Wenshu had been trying to get the coupons from her parents for a long time but failed, so she naturally set her sights on her niece. Anyway, the Meng family had a lot of money, so instead of using the coupons on Jiang Dazhen and the next child, it would be better to use them to make her a set of clothes.
Meng Xiangwen has always had the best relationship with her aunt, so she didn't need to ask, she just patted her chest and agreed. Anyway, she and her aunt are about the same size, so if they make different styles of clothes, they can take turns wearing them.
Meng Xiangwen didn't consider whether the Meng family was willing or not. In her opinion, isn't this something necessary? If they don't give it, it means they are biased. In this way, she will not recognize them as family members. Anyway, only her grandparents care about her, and only her aunt cares about her. As for her father and grandparents, they had long been seduced away by that vixen and her son, so it doesn't matter whether she is there or not.
"Just tell me whether you have any or not. If not, I'll go home." Meng Xiangwen said to Old Lady Qu impatiently. Isn't it just asking for some food coupons and cloth coupons? Why are you asking so many questions? Why are you so generous to give cakes to outsiders?
Old Mrs. Qu was so angry that she fell backwards: "Go home, isn't this your home? Which home are you going back to?" Her tone was already a little bad. If there were no outsiders present, she would have wanted to cut open her granddaughter's head to see what kind of confusing soup the Wen family had fed her.
Seeing that he would not get what he wanted today, Meng Xiangwen glared at Jiang Dazhen, and also glared at Jiang Dahai and Jiang Yilu who were beside her, then stood up and left, slamming the door behind him.
With a "bang", Mrs. Qu was startled and then became even angrier. She pointed at the door with a trembling finger, "This child, this child, really pissed me off..."
Jiang Dazhen stepped forward and patted the old lady on the back, comforting her, "Mom, don't worry. Wenwen is still young. She will be sensible when she grows up. I'll ask Pingchuan to bring some food coupons and cloth coupons tonight. Children of this age are in the period of growth, so it's inevitable that they eat a lot. Our family doesn't lack these things. Anyway, we only have Wenwen and Xiangxue. It doesn't matter who we give them to."
If you don't improve the old lady's favorability at this time, when will you do that?
After hearing what she said, the old lady felt much better. Old people are always protective of their own children. They can scold their own children, but if others scold them, they will probably feel unhappy.
In her opinion, there was nothing wrong with her granddaughter, and her current condition was instigated by the Wen family. She only had one granddaughter and one grandson, and she loved them both, so how could she really abandon one of them?
Jiang Dazhen saw exactly this point. Even though the old lady was very angry now, after a few days, when Meng Xiangwen came to apologize, the old lady would be able to let it go. By then, she, who spoke ill of her stepdaughter, would be in a difficult position. It would be better for her to say something nice now to make the old lady happy and make her life easier.
"I'm sorry to have made a fool of myself in front of you." The old lady felt relieved and naturally thought of the two people who had watched everything. She looked a little embarrassed.
"It's okay. It's still like this now. I have four daughters, and they also like to lose their temper." Jiang Dahai touched his head and said with a silly smile.
Jiang Yilu was almost rolling his eyes. Why was his father so dishonest? His four sisters were the most sensible. Except for the second sister who sometimes had a bad temper, none of the others were like the eldest daughter.
But the old lady was very happy to hear it, and she kept on talking to Jiang Dahai about the troubles of raising a child. Jiang Dahai had no chance to refute at all. He could only listen to her nagging for more than an hour with a stiff smile, until she made the excuse that the time was almost up and was able to get away.
When they were leaving, the bags they brought with them were refilled with things, all of which were stuffed in by Old Lady Qu. She also said that she had enjoyed chatting with Jiang Dahai and asked him to come to the city often to see her and chat with her.
Jiang Dahai was holding these things, standing at the door, feeling dizzy. How could things develop into this state all of a sudden? The most important thing now was to take the people back. He didn't dare to take that road again this time, because who knew if those people were still guarding there. He simply took a longer route, which took him more than ten minutes to get to the Revolutionary Committee.
It was already getting dark at this time. Jiang Yilu looked at the lights in the distance, his heart filled with excitement.
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